A new research effort has resulted in a low-cost, reliable blood test that uses a small plastic chip about the size of a credit card that can deliver the same diagnostic information as a bone biopsy -- but using a simple blood draw instead. Read more at University of Kansas News.

Bioengineers at the University of California, San Diego, with funding from NIBIB, have designed a glucose meter system built into a smartphone case, along with a smartphone app to present the results. The researchers developed the new device, called GlucPhone, with convenience and portability in mind.

In a study published in the Nov. 22, 2017, issue of Scientific Reports, researchers with funding from NIBIB reported the first use of optogenetics to reduce bladder pain. Their results in mice offer hope for much needed human therapy.

NIBIB-funded researchers have developed a strategy to engineer multi-tissue tracheas that have a cartilage structure, moist lining, and blood vessels similar to a natural trachea. In a study in the Feb. 14, 2018, issue of Advanced Science, they implanted the engineered tissue under the skin of mice, where the blood vessels showed signs of connecting with surrounding tissue.

Researchers are now able to use induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to form a model of human adult-like cardiac muscle by introducing electric and mechanical stimulation at an early stage. Since this muscle is similar to the adult heart, it could serve as a better model for testing the effects of drugs and toxic substances than current tissue-engineered heart models.

Bioengineers at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) have developed a smart anti-cancer nanoparticle with precisely targeted tumor-killing activity superior to previous technologies.

An interdisciplinary research group of biologists, engineers, and physicians, funded in part by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), are working together to develop a 3D printed solution to the problem of ischemia caused by damage to small blood vessels. Read more at here.

The mission of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) is to improve health by leading the development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies. The Institute is committed to integrating the physical and engineering sciences with the life sciences to advance basic research and medical care.